Application of dental materials to the oral cavity

ABSTRACT

The application of a dental material to a site in the oral cavity includes the application of vibrational energy and heat to the dental material in order to substantially impart a preselected or desired viscosity to the dental material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the application of dental materials.More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in placing suchmaterials in the oral cavity. Specifically, the invention relates toimprovements in such uses while employing heat in conjunction withvibration or other mechanical actions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dental professionals use a wide variety of materials in maintaining,improving or otherwise treating dental health. These include forexample, dental restorative composites and amalgams, adhesives, cements,veneers, impression and registration materials, endodontic obturationmaterials, and the like. It is often the case that a successful dentalprocedure requires precise and complete application of such materials tofill spaces and voids, to flow properly, to maintain a suitableviscosity and to otherwise maintain a proper consistency for adequatehandling and application by the practitioner.

The present invention provides for improvements in such techniques andthe handling of such dental materials.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide for improvementsin the application of dental materials to the oral cavity. The inventionhas a broad range of application to a variety of dental materials, butis particularly suited for the application of dental restoratives andendodontic obturation materials.

In general, the present invention imparts suitable vibrational and heatenergy to the material to be applied, such that a proper viscosity isachieved allowing the material to flow from the application instrumentto the site of application in the oral cavity, where it is otherwisetreated in a conventional manner, such as for example, by then beingcured. Optionally, other mechanical forces may be applied to move orotherwise place the dental material, such as by using a spatula, apiston, a nozzle or any other such mechanical devices providing amechanical force upon the material to move or deliver it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational, partially broken view of a delivery deviceembodying the concepts of the invention, shown for environmentalpurposes, as being affixed to a handpiece.

FIG. 2 is an alternative embodiment of the delivery device as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of a delivery device according to theinvention, and particularly suited for endodontic use.

FIG. 4 is an alternative embodiment of a delivery device particularlysuited for endodontic use.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention uses heat and vibration to make otherwisenon-flowing or flow-resistant materials flow by reducing theirviscosity. The required viscosity which must be achieved will varydepending upon the particular material being used and the dentalprocedure being carried out. Therefore, the viscosity reductions are notan absolute limitation of the invention. However, a practitioner willknow by training and experience what consistency is useful for his orher particular technique. Such viscosities will also vary betweenpractitioners even when they use the same materials and equipment.Therefore, again, viscosity is not an absolute limitation. The operativeobjective of the invention is to reduce viscosity by applying heat andenergy to the point where the practitioner can properly, precisely andcompletely place the material as desired.

Vibrational energy is imparted by any suitable means, but is preferablyimparted by operative connection of the delivery device to an ultrasonicgenerator. Such devices are well known in the dental art, and includefor example, the CAVITRON line available from DENTSPLY INTERNATIONALINC. of York, Pa. The actual energy supplied will vary depending uponthe viscosity reduction required, which as discussed above, is not anabsolute limitation of the invention.

For example, there is depicted in FIG. 1, a delivery device 10 which maybe a preloaded capsule or the like, or which may be individually loadedas need by the practitioner, and which is operatively connected to ahandpiece 11. Handpiece 11 is in turn connected by operative connector12 to an ultrasonic generator 13. Handpiece 11 preferably containselements such as magnetostrictive or piezo elements 14 for acceptingenergy from generator 13 and translating the energy intovibration-inducing ultrasonic energy applied to delivery device 10. Thetranslation of such energy is of itself, conventional and well known forexample, in the dental prophylactic scaling art, and need not be furtherdescribed here.

Because vibrational energy is translate to delivery device 10, thematerial contained therein, such as dental material 20, is caused tovibrate. This in turn cause a reduction in the viscosity of the dentalmaterial 20, sufficient to reduce its viscosity. Materials that reduceviscosity when vibrational energy is applied are known as beingthixotropic. Dental material such as Dyract, Integrity, Prisma andSureFil, all available from DENTSPLY are examples of such dentalmaterials. While all of these materials are restoratives, other dentalmaterials as discussed above can also benefit and are therefore useful,with the present invention.

As stated, delivery device 10 can be preloaded or it can be simply areceptacle which is loaded at the time of use with an appropriate dentalmaterial 20. Preferably, delivery device 10 is a preloaded with selectedmaterial, and is also otherwise configured for application of thematerial. For example, delivery device 10 may be provided with a nozzle21 configured to take advantage of the viscosity reduction imparted bythe invention. This is useful in a number of ways, including that verysmall quantities of dental material 20 can be applied than wouldotherwise be possible without the present invention. Without thereduction in viscosity that the invention provides, the application ofsmall quantities would not otherwise be possible. This allows forincreased precision in application to the practitioner.

Preferably, delivery device 10 is also configured to also supply heatenergy to the dental material 20. This may be accomplished by any means,such as by supplying electrical energy from generator 13 to deliverydevice 10 in a manner to cause delivery device 10 itself to heat. Theheating may also be internal of delivery device 10. Further still, theinterior walls of delivery device 10 may be heated, or a separateheating element 22 may be provided that accepts electrical energy fromgenerator 13 and translates such electrical energy into heat energy.Heating element 22 would of course, be connected to an appropriatecircuit or connector 23 for such purposes. FIG. 2 shows an alternativeembodiment of Delivery device 10 wherein nozzle 21 is of a differentsize than nozzle 21 of FIG. 1. This will allow for a different amountand/or viscosity of dental material 20 to be applied. Further, a piston24 and follower 25 may be employed in delivery device 10 to otherwiseimpart mechanical forces to dental material 20 to further induce desiredmovement.

According to one aspect of the invention, a delivery device 30 isconfigured for particular use in endodontic obturation procedures. Suchprocedures known in the art have included use of an obturation materialon a carrier, such as the Thermafil obturator available from DENTSPLY.The obturator is placed into a suitable heating device, such as an oven,to warm the material and make it flow. The carrier is then inserted intothe prepared root canal, and the material is cause to move coronally tofill the canal.

The present invention imparts both heat and vibrational energy tocarrier 30 by operative connection via connector 31 to generator 32.Heat and vibrational energy are translated to carrier 30 in a mannersimilar to that delivered to delivery device 10. Material, such as guttapercha 33 is therefore, caused to be reduced in viscosity and to flow asdesired.

According to another aspect of the invention, particularly suited forthe placement of material into a tooth to be restored or for theplacement of endodontic material into a root canal, a cannula 40 isemployed. Cannula 40 has a passage 41 therethrough, preferably alengthwise passage, and is operatively connected through connector 42 toa generator for imparting vibrational and heat energy in a mannersubstantially similar to that provided by generator 32. In thisembodiment of the invention, there is also provided a material reservoiror source 50 which while shown separate from generator 43 in thedrawings, may be supplied in conjunction therewith. Source 50 supplies aquantity, preferably a continuous or selectable flow of a quantity ofdental material 60 to cannula 40 passage 41. By either imparting heat,vibrational energy, mechanical energy (including pressure) or somecombination thereof, preferably at least heat and vibrational energy,material 60 can be caused to flow through passage 40 to be applied. Thiswill allow the practitioner to substantially backfill the treated areawhile the cannula 40 is removed therefrom. Source 50 may be pressurizedto help further induce flow through cannula 50. Cannula 40 may besupplied with an outer layer of material 51, such as is the case withgutta percha 33, which is used in endodontic obturation procedures. Thusthe root canal is obturated and automatically backfilled at the sametime.

As will be appreciated, heat, vibrational and or mechanical energy maybe applied according to the present invention, either sequentially inany combination or at the same time again in any combination. It is tobe further appreciated that the present invention carries out theobjects thereof and otherwise provides a valuable and new contributionto the art. The invention has been described and illustrated withoutattempting to show all of the various embodiments that are within itsscope. The scope of the invention will therefore, be determined only byany attached claims.

1. A method of applying dental materials to a site of applicationcomprising the steps of: imparting vibrational and heat energy to thematerial to be applied through an application instrument, such that adesired material viscosity is substantially achieved; and, allowing thematerial to flow from said application instrument to the site ofapplication.
 2. A method as in claim 1 comprising the further step ofcuring the dental material.
 3. A method as in claim 1 comprising thefurther step of applying mechanical forces to the material
 4. A devicefor delivering dental material to a site in the oral cavity comprisingmeans to impart vibrational energy and heat energy to the dentalmaterial.